Liquid-flow meter



April 7, 1931. E, NUEBLING 1,799,635

LIQUID FLOW METER Filed April 9, 1928 2 sheets-Sheet 1 A TTU/m April 7, 1931. E. NUEBLING l LIQUID FLOW METER Filed April 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HYZZ Patented Apr.7,r193i1 u i .a y i* i l EDWARD iiUEBLiNG, oFiiEW YORK, N. Y.

I l y LiQUin-r-iow METER A n n Y Apeiicat'ion, fii'eii april a, plies. a seriaiiio'. 268,452., l This inventionrelates to meters ofthe tu'riarepreferably of substantially cylindrical bine, current or ,velocity type'intended. for shape andcoinmunicate with the innerch'ammeasuring the flow of 'water through pipesr ber-l2. The outer wallof the lower casing. andhas 'for its principal obgect to provide memberis provided" with an voutwardly '5 anew and improved construction'or such flanged horizontally extending portionlO', 55y

meters that will be lveryfsensitive togclianges a vertically extending portion 10b' andan inin the velocityof flow and thatwill give an wardly `turned horizontally extending por!" ,accurate measurement of the ,quantity oi tion 100:(see Fig. 3) which deline anV annular water passed through` lthev meter under all pocket or distributing chamber l5 extending conditions of service'. I about thefmete-r substantially in alignment l60 A Afurther object is toA incorporate inthe with the lianged inlet 13 and'outlet 14. The construction of the meter,` means for pre'- annular chamber l5 at the outlet side of the Venting entry of'dirt or foreignmatter into meter communicates with a sumpjle having the operating parts of the meter, and to so a draw oli hole atltlie lowerend'thereof,

l5 construct and arrange suchwmeans. that a said hole being closed by means oi' a screw 65 thorough cleaning thereof maybe performed cap 17; f 'l Y Y without" opening or disassembling thermeter. AttheV point where the horizontally .eX- n' i A further object is to so construct and ai'- tendingllange 10a, which forms `tlie'lower raii'gethe parts as'to prevent the formation wall'oie the annular chamber l5, merges with a of circulatory currents or eddy currents both the main body portion l() 0I" the lowercas- 70 at the inlet. and outlet sidesof themeasuring ing member, a seat' lSisfpi'ovided,psai`d `seat wheels,`L and another object is toproduce a being defined between as'mall upwardly eX-y meter of vcompact sturdy construction havtending annularaiigel)v formed at tlieininga relatively large capacity for itsfsize and nei` periphery ofthe casingtwall, and aY plu-` ,.,l

' in whicha steady floivoi0 'theluid'islmainrality `of upwardly projecting lugs 2O aint tained, without disturbance and without apranged'at spaced intervalsV about the'flange preciable loss of head; l y y 10?. y Tliisseat serves to support a i'orami- These and other objects willappear more naiedz screen 2l, which screen rco-operates fully `from the'following more detailed dewith the flanges 10%v 10b and 10C to deline the 7.,.

ing drawings `forming a "part hereoic rand erring'to Fig. 2'of'the drawings lthatthe anwhereinFigr-l av central. vertical section nular chamber '1.5 communicates with vthe through a meter constructed in accordance flanged inlet 13 but that vsaid chamber is out with the principles of my vvinveiitony this 'sec- .of'communication with the outletA 14; .c

` Itic'n being-taken'Substantially i'oiii the: line' 'Theroutletfle communicates witha wheel'ili a 1-1 of Fig. 25l Fig; 2is alsection upon'the chamber *22,V the Vvf-,rtically extending sidef lline 2-21of Figi; Fig.' 3 isga section on the v wal'lfof which isv concentric to the central axis the line loi Fig. la.' `wheelchamber 22is defined by theY vertical y 'As shown inthe drawings the meterfiprefksidewall just referred to,`an d bythe upper 9@ erably consists ofia pair vof outer'casingmem?y andv lower'wall's 24,y 25 respcctively,` the latberslOiand 11, the mainportion ,ofth'evwalls ter having formed therein the llanged open-V of'which members forni afwater chamberor ings 26, 27 respectively. Theseopenings are compartment l2 in whichthe moving yparts concentric with the axis Yof rotation and khave l of the-meter are mountedfand into which mountedtherein a. central baffle member 28"95 chamber the-water7 "whose velocity of lowis having a `pairlof vannular vflanges 29,173() the to-vbemeasured; is permitted topass. The outer cylindrical walls'y of whichicit' neatly lower member l() is oflirregular construction within the aperturcs'26, 27 respectively. Beand hasl formed integrally"v therewith l aV tween' the annular flanges 29,` 30 the central scription and'by reference to the accompany# annular chamber l5.l It will be noted by're SGy n li'nej'S-S of' F ig. 2'an`d'Fig.jeis'asection on olf rotation' of' the measuringkwheels. V"This" i flanged inlet landlaaiigedutlet 14E-which. loaliie piraterie/provided with. Ceiltl Cyll* mi lturbine wheels 34, 35 are mounted.

drical portion 31 from which radiales a plurality of vertical vanes er baff 32. The upper and lower ends of the Cylindrical portion 31 are partially closed by ho tally extending walls 33 and said walls de e with the inner cylindrical walls of the flanges 29, 30 a pair of pockets or recesses in which the A ho-rizontally extending web 36 projects laterally from the central portion 31 midway betwee: the ends of the vanes or baffles 32, for a purpose presently to be described. The upper flange 29 of the member 28 has a pair of laterally projecting lugs 37 in which are received the lifting screws 38, by means of which the interior parts can be removed as a unit.

The turbine wheels 34, 35 are provided respectively with the stub shaft portions 39, 49 the ends of which contact at the horizontal center line of the device and the vanes of yeach wheel extend inwardly from the periphery of the wheel and terminate at their inner ends substantially in vertical alignment witl the outer circumferential wall ior the cent-ral portion 31 of the member 28 indicated in F ig. 2.

The two wheels 34, 35 are fined together to rotate'in unison by means ofa small central shaft 41 which passes through the stub shaft portions 39, 40 of said wheels and which projects upwardly .and downwardly beyond the wheels 34, 35 respectively. A transverse pin 35a keys the wheel 35 to the shaft 41,*while the wheel 34 is secured to said shaft by the interlocking of a pair of lugs and recesses 35h, formed in the'stub shafts 39, 40, a pin 34a passing through said lugs and a lock nut 34b being screwed against the upper face of the wheel 34.k The outer projecting ends of the shaft 41 are mounted in bearings or journals 42, 43. These journals are mounted in central apertured bosses formed in upper, and lower, combined bearing and baille members 44, 454 respectively, said members being provided with peripheral flanges which seat upon the ends of the flanges 2C, 30 of the central. member 28, the members 44, 45 being secured to the central piece 28 by means of screws .46. Each member 44, 45 isV formed to provide a central baffle 47 preferably of'cylindrical. shape, the peripheral wall of which terminates in alignment with the vinner ends of the vanes of the turbine wheels and in alignment with the outer circumferential wall 'of the central portion 31 ofthe member 28. rllhe peripheral wall ofthe central baffle is also arranged to provide the inner wall of an annular conduit 48 through which the water is adapted to flow to the vanes of the turbine wheels. In the constructional example here'- in disclosed, the'peripheral walls of the baffles 47 of the members 44, 45 co-operates with the inner walls of the flanges 29, 30 respectively,

to form the annular conduits 48, bht it will be obvious that the conduits could be formed solely in the members 44, 45. ln either case the length of such conduits, considered from the entrance to the exit, should be not less than twice the width thereof so as to reduce jet contraction effects to a minimum. ln order to prevent swirling of the water in the conduits 48 a plurality of radially extending vanes 48@ are provided which extend radially across said channel. rllhese vanes also serve to connect the horizontal annular flanges to the central part or baffle 47 of the meter.

rlhe boss of the lower member 45 is internally threaded for the reception of a thrust bearing cap 49I having a recess in its inner face, in which is( received .a ball 50 upon which the lower end of the shaft 41 rests. rlllhe boss of the uppermember 44 is externally threaded for the reception of a gearing cage 51, in which is mounted the reduction gears 52 which drive through the shaft connections 53,` the gears 54 of the registering device 55, which may be of any suitable and well known constructionv and which is shown as mounted in a casing` 56 secured to the upper casing member 11.

The upper casing member 11 is provided with a pair of annular flanges 57 which perform a function similar to that performed by the fla-nge 19 and lugs 2O of the lower casing member, that is to say, said flanges 57 form an annular seat 58 for the upper edge ofthe screen 21. The upper casing member is bolted to the lower casing member by means of thebolts 59.

At the line of the juncture of the outlet 14 and chamber 22 thevertical side walls of said chamber are provided on the outer faces thereof with the vertically extending ribs 60 which preferably are provided with outward.- ly open grooves or recesses 61V in which the ends of the annular foraminated screen 21 are seated, said grooves co-operating with the seats formed by the annular flanges 19 and 57 and lugs 20 and 58 to prevent distortion of the screen 21 by the pressure of the water.

Arby-.pass 62 may, if desired, be formed in the lower casing member at the upper sid-e of the outlet 14 to supply water to a by-pass meter of a compounding device.

The manner. in which the device is assembled is as follows The shaft 41'is inserted intothe hollow shaft of turbine wheel 35 and madesecure by means of pin 35a. The

turbine wheel 35 with `shaft 41 is then placed with its stub shaft 40 in the central aperture of the member 28. Turbine wheel 34 is then inserted over shaft 41 the'central aperture of member 28 and secured to shaft 41 by means of pin 34a`and lock nut 341. The bearing and vane members 44, 45 are then placed in position and secured to the central member 28 by thes'crews46. The central member 28 is now placed within the lower casing xvi-thiY its, iianges 29, `30".y in engagement; :with the-:aperturesf-Q, 27; formed in the-walls24, 215.1- The screen-21L is'fthengfplaceda'ivithits loiver edgewseat'ed -zWithinr the recessfsformed its ends seatedT ini-fthe groo-ves altormed ,in

vthe nibs :60. The spur. :pinionof ther-.educ- ,Y

tion-gear is then secured to the topxot shaft 41.5 Thev gear reduction cage; 5111s then; se-

.curedv to the boss :of the lupper rmemberr 44 aft-'er Whi ch: .the f upper.; casing; inemberf with the.I vregistering' "fdev'ice f securedl thereto is placed` :in: position upon fthe;` lovver' casing member, vltf beinggunderstood -tliat the kflange 57;, andf-lugs 58 ofmthewupper; casing. member are-eneagedcver the upper edgefothescreen 21.. The i bolts 59 Aare then: inserted `and screwed-:home to'hold ythe parts in assembled condition.;

1n operation, they Water 'entersthe inlet i 1and. -flovvs about vkthe: distributing chamber` f 15 on'. the entere-.side of the serieel-1:21.

Y Any dirt or-oreigin matter carried. :along Witlii the -Waterzfvvillrbef/prevented:bye the screen 21A from enteringyf-the meter..- The Waterl passingffthrough; the apertureswof the screen 21 Willliovvboth upwardly and "downwandly into the mainchamber 12 ofthepmeter, :r-om .f which.I the Wa-ter y flows through'athe cond`uits42gI provided. in the. upper anch lower members. 445 45., This Water-impingesfagainst theV Yanes 'ofi .the Iturbine:lvvheelsff34,l v 35 'fand causes-said'vvheelsitofretate inifunison. I After passing lthrough {thefturbine fWheels the Water y.is directed by the/:vanesffBQ-A and;4 web 136 g into the (chamber. 22. :from fvvhichnitf.` Aflovvs-y to -the i outlet 14,. Rotation-ofthe. turbine. Wheels obviously causes the freduction.'gear;y 52 and registeringidevioe55 to,-.be-aetuated.- The serves to'. translatethesrevolutions of the V.Wheels into. convenient umts fof y measure indicated by the register` sueltas cubicrfeet orl gallon-s@ The register is;` therefore at ffall times-:a measure ofthe numberfof/ revolutions of .the.turbine vvli'eels.-. Itregi'sters -a.-,tnue measure ofilowonly Whenfthe turbinewvheels make the. same numbe.r-of.revolutions for each unit -o lquantitypassed through,the'fmeter under .'all. conditions of flow;A Any. variation inthe distribution. of `.velocities through' the meter due.,toobstnuctions latl .the inletv or- -to crosscurrents and eddies inthe vicinity ofthe meats'uringy Wheels maycause the YWheels .to revolveiaster or, slower -perv unit. ofvquanti.- .tygand causeinaccurate registration. It the v `meterfisnot sensitivetochangese-in velocity Vofiloxv the..meter. Will.*not-respond.to such changes and Will not give an accurate registration oi? quantityj In 4the meter herein, disclosed the liquid, :in passing from inlet tooutlet, is causedft'o :follow natural' channels/zat; allvelocitiesrot-iiow'A VOnf account 'of the` 'large fse'reenpfareaas compared' with the arealy ofthe y'inlet f spudztlie: vlelocity of approach to theeoenduitslS-,fisicome -paratively smallfand furthermore,since the liquid approaches-.the conduits from yall sides at low. velocity and in even distribution, va-

- riable, jete like streams that impinge Aon the vWheel Vvanos yat .different points andvca'use'- the'wlieels `to?runfaster.'or:slovver per unit oi' quantity are 2 eii'iectiuely eliminated.

It Will be noted that the provision of the screenf21 which extends 'entirely about-'the struction in 4Which the =vvater yenters .said com- `partment'from substantiallyf'all sides thereofA and that swirling of thewate'r ortheformap .tion-.of eddy currents inthe main chambier'lQh 80 due-fito; a? partially 'closed valve` or bendvin the pipe near the'-inlet'; to thermeter, is :effectively prevented-:at:theinletzend of kthe meter. Thefprovision ofi the'supper 'and-lower 'xed baiiieumembers 44, 45 andthe: construction and l* arrangement ofthese-'membersz also in'- sures tha-'tithe 'Water Will' be /dire'ctedi'toe the turbiney vanes ini. a? steady, :even fio-W 4Withoi'tt the. formation of vany* swirling Aor eddyctfects main 'Water compartment l2-results in `a acon 75 adjacent to: the 'turbine- Wheels and'.- "without L Y the setting` 1 upf of local .disturbances :such 1 as occurwvhenbaiies Whi'chf'rotatei with. the

VWheelsjare provided: at the :inlet 'and outlet sides of the Wheels; The Water' moving the turbine? vanes alsol YisY preventedrfrom i 'sivirl-l .n lngvand causing frictionloss by the provision,

ofV1 tbeoutlet guidevanes or ybattles 32 :and central web or baiiie 36. Boththje iIiletjlBfand outlet 14 vcommunicate With chambers each or" Wlii'chihascz-a flaring@mouth so? tha-tfno ob?. fstructionfis' presented toithe passage ofthe Water Ato `andV from: the meter in hereby afree -flovv ris.4l secured with ai minimum Off 'friction losses.v .Y f

sediment: from? the'y lscreenf chamber 151' itt fis only necessary to removethV-cap l'without Vdisassembling the casingparits.

bine Wheels setsupuvariable' radialcirculatory currents'alongr the tacestofthe iturbine'vvheels l Whichv currentslobviously movefrom t-hehaxis of rotation towardsV the periphery oti' the Wheel I and? tend to form eddies in the :annular zone of the turbine buckets, which fed'difesrun counter to the incoming streamovvate'r and` as a result of these local disturbances the 1neter will :not register accurately anddun'iformf ly.== In the construction liereinrdiscllosedthe provision 'of thebalil'es147` effectively p'revents the? formation of'k suchfloealfdis tur-liances.' It l Wil-lll `be fnot'edthajt jupon thevoutll'etisid'e's of- .i Y the bucketssof: thertuubine'wvheetsith'e central 139 cylindrical.portion 3l of the member 28 performs a somewhat similar function to the parts 47, in that the said central'portion provides a bafiie which extends from the inner end of the turbine vanes to the periphery of the. stubl shafts 39, 40, thereby preventing swirling of vthe liquid after it leaves the buckets and troublesome cross currents eddies at the outlet side of the meter and loss` of energy as a result thereof are eliminated.

It will be seen that vthe arrangement of the circular screen chamber l5 with the annular screen 2l and also the provision of the circular baiiies' 47 and 3l insures a steady, even flow of the waterthrough the meter from the inlet to the outlet thereof. The circular screen. chamber 'preventing as hereinbefore pointed out the formation of eddy currents at the inlet, the water flowing smoothly through the interstices of the screen up- Wardly and downwardly and flowing to the annulary conduits 48 uniformly Vfrom all points about the periphery of the wheels. The water also flows from the turbine buckets steadily and uniformly, the provision of the plurality of radial'vanes or baffles 32 co1n-- bined with the central baille 36 serving to con-- fine the stream to natural channels and preventing unsteady motion 4or cross currents with consequent loss of available energy which increases the loss of head or pressure through the meter.

Bailles are preferably provided on the inner wall of the yinlet spud to break up.

spiral or swirling motion of the water due to a bend or to apartially closed valve near the Spud.4 It will be seen that the general arrangement and construction of the parts results in the production of sturdy, rugged meter that will operate reliably with a minimum of attention andwhich will have a relatively large capacity for its size, and that the water will flow through the meter steadily without disturbance, and with a negligible loss ofhead.` p

While the invention has been described and claimed as a'water meter it will be understood that the term water has been used merely as descriptive and not in a limiting sense, and that the invention is applicable for use in measuring the flow of any liquit whatsoever. It will likewise be understood that the specific structural details of the constructional example herein exemplified are merely illustrative and that many changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the principles of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a water meter, al casing defining a main chamber and having an inlet, an outlet, and a protruding annular portion, a

screen defining with said protruding portion of the casing an annular distributing` cham- ,ber in communicationfwith said inlet and through which all the water entering said inlet passes to said main chamber through said screen, said casing having means operatively associated therewith to provide a central compartment in communication with said outlet and Vhaving aligned openings at the top and bottom thereof to lsaid main chamber, a pair of turbine wheels, a shaft on which both of said turbine wheels are mounted in axially spaced relationship to rotate in said aligned openings, a stationary cylindrical baff fle mounted between said wheels and having its circumferential walls in alignment with the inner ends of the turbine buckets, and an annular baille projecting laterally and outwardly from said circumferential wall substantially midway between said wheels.

2. In a water meter, a casing defining a main chamber and having an inlet, an outlet, and a protruding annular portion, a screen defining with said protruding portion of the casing an annular distributing chamber'in communication with said inlet and through which all the water entering said inlet passes to said main chamber through said screen, Said casing having means operatively associated therewith to provide a centralfcompartment in communication with said outlet and having aligned openings at the top and bottom thereof to said main chamber, a pair of turbine wheels, a shaft on which both of said turbine wheels are mounted in axially spaced relationship to rotate in said aligned openings, a stationary cylindrical baille mounted between said wheels and having its circumferential walls in alignment with the inner ends of the turbine buckets, an annular baflie projecting laterally and outwardly fromsaid circumferential wall substantially midway between said wheels, and a plurality of radial baflies extending outwardly from said circumferential wall'.

3. In a water meter', a casing defining a main chamber, means associated with said casing for defining an outlet and a compartment in communication therewith, said com'- partment having a pair of spaced axially aligned openings, a wheel cage having a pair of spaced bearing surfaces in engagement with the walls of said openings, and a central cylindrical portion located within said chamber, Aa pair of turbine wheels having pe- 5. In a water meter, a easing having a circular cross section yand provided with an inlet, an outlet, and a protruding annular portion, an annular partition wall concentrically arranged in saidvcasing and forming a water wheelohamber open to the interior of said casing at the top and bottom of said waterwheel chamber only, and'means eo-operating with said' partition wall and the wall of saidv casing to cause water entering said inlet to be deflected equally about said casing to flow uniformly to the top and bottom of said chamber `about the entire periphery thereof, said means comprising an annular forarninated partition arranged opposite to, and between, said inlet and said walland forming with the annular portion of said Casing an annular vscreen chamber through whiohall the water entering said inlet must pass before reaching lsaidv Wheel Chamber, and said annular chamber being closed at the top and bottom thereof to cause said water to flow through the foraminations` of said partition in radial directions only and uniformly about the entire* extent thereof; f

6. ln a water meter, a casing having an inlet, an outlet and a protruding central portion of substantially eiroularaeross seotional configuration in a horizontal plane,

an approximately cylindrical wall concentricV with Said central portion of Said'oasing,`lo

i v cated oppositesaid inlet and defininga water Wheel chamberk open tothe interior of said easing at the top and bottom of said water wheel chamber only,and an approximatef ly oylindrioalforaminated partition arranged ooneentrioally between said wall and casing,

opposite to said inlet and forming with said protruding portion of said casing an annular chamber through which and said partition all the water entering said inlet must pass before it flows to said wheel chamber. y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. f i

l EDWARD NUEBLING. 

